Left For Dead
by TH3LASTHOP3
Summary: A boy is stranded in the Old Peace City, after he is involved in a battle between Mother Will and White Glint. What he discovers and hte comapny he keeps will surprise even him. In balance of power what role will he play? Set during For Answer R&R :
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: Seeing Ghosts

I remember the first time I saw a NEXT in action.. it was long before I was where I am now. I was a League child, my father served on the _Mother Will _and I helped him. We spent three years wandering the earth, getting into the occasional firefight but nobody really messed with us, then again if you saw a larger then life moving fortress with hundereds of missles and three huge cannons pointed at you, you'd be pretty inclined to surrender too. But that all took a turn for the worse when we ran into White Glint.

The day started out normal and that's coming from a 17 year old who aspired to be a NEXT pilot serving in an unofficial capacity aboard the largest Arms Fort ever built. I awoke and ate breakfast in the grub hall, then went to go work on my pet project. _Mother Will _on occasion repaired screwed up NEXTs and some of the parts went to back dump to be broken down and converted. My father had told me that I could have them and do what I wanted to. I did what I could and began to build my own AC. It was definetley a mix match of parts and the thing looked about as close to stylish as one of those bulky normals used in the NDW. But I was confident that in a fight it would be as efficient. Oh boy was I wrong, but we'll get to that later.

So after working on my self dubbed "Mjolnir," I went to find my dad to ask him a question about the generator's flux capacitor. When I went to his officer in charge, he informed me my dad was on deck getting a few Normal's ready for a quick combat deployment. I took the information in stride and got in the elevator to head up to the deck level. That's when the shaking started, and the explosions. At first I felt the reactionary fear that came with knowing that your life was in emminent danger. But I figured that this was just another fire fight, again, boy was I wrong. As soon as I got on deck, I saw what was happening.

This white NEXT was strafing around the deck taking out Normals and MT's alike. For a second it was like slow motion, every single detail was clear as day, the shimmer of the blue eyes on the AC, the wing like missle rack on it's back, everything. It was almost as if I could see what other's could not. Then my attention shifted from the AC to the crew on the deck, I searched desperatly for my dad, and eventually I found him, he was face up on top of a pile of wreckage, and he wasn't moving.

The focus of my mind shifted that second, from saving my dad to killing the AC in front of me. I turned around to see racks of Normals, but they were no good, this white AC had taken out plenty, and one more wouldn't make a difference. I clenched my fists, and looked at the AC raining destruction on the deck and felt powerless. I racked my mind for possible solutions and only one came to mind. Mjolnir was sitting in the hangar like it was waiting for me to prove myself.

I got back in the elevator and hit the down button, keying up Hangar 06 where Mjolnir was stored. "Hey," I said, "It's Nathan, prep Mjolnir for launch, do me a favor and add on the machine gun we brought in last week, also that rocket launcher my dad snuck for me. My "repair crew," (AKA. Engineers that just thought my project was more fun then rebuilding boring Acs) acknowledged and said it would be ready when I got down there. I closed my eyes and formed my hands in a prayer, I prayed to god that I wouldn't die trying to avenge my fathers death.

Now here's where I wish I could say that I just boosted out kicked the hell out of the thing and then returned victorious. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. When I got down to the hangar, the crew had Mjolnir all ready, the thing was in all honesty, a piece of junk, but hey what could I have done. When I climbed in that pilot's seat though, my whole outlook changed, I felt powerful I felt invincible. I gave the thumbs up to the crew who, opened the hatch to the outside and got behind, blast shields to escape the immense heat Mjolnir was about to give off.

I took off immedietley searching for the white mech that had murdered my father, when my power cut. I looked to the sky and suddenly my heart jumped out of my throat, i had no thrust and i was falling... fast.

I stepped on the boost accellaerator at least three times, but Mjolnir wasn't responding, it took me till about 1000 feet from splattering, to get it back online. As soon as it was responsive I lowered myself to the ground looking around trying to find that white bastard. It took about a second and a half to locate and get a lock on him. According to scanners he was compromised on the core and missing his secondary arm weapon. I smiled at the thought, time to take the fight to this bastard. So the first thing I did, hit the overed boost switch and in two seconds I was flying at a speed of about 300km per minute. My plan was to hit him hard on the approach and then just finish him off slow.

Boy was that a bad plan, as a neared him, i took aim with my rocket launcher, and shot off eight shots. Before the first one was even close his assault rifle was spitting bullets intercepting all of them. So my first line of attack failed, didn't mean I was done yet, I took aim with the machine gun and spat controlled burtst at him trying to get him down at least. Again, I knew i was severely out gunned, the white AC quick boosted to the left and then right and did something I'd never seen a Lynx do. He took the now available left arm and formed a fist, putting it right through Mjolnir's head. My cams went down and I was blind, I just stayed there waiting for a killshot, but nothing came, until he shot my legs off and left me in a core stranded on the ground. I banged my head against the console, and then tried contacting _Mother Will_ to try and get me some help, but it seems they were still preoccupied.

So I waited, and waited and waited, I can't even remember how long I waited. It seems I was bound to just dissapear in the sand with the rest of the world. I couldn't hear combat, hell I couldn't hear the footsteps of _Mother Will_ anymore either, it seems she was long gone. So there I was... stranded and left for dead.

This is my first chapter, and my first AC story, R&R please! Thanks :)

- Th3LstH0p3


	2. Chapter 2

It must've been at least six hours later, I had fell asleep in the cockpit when I heard the whirring of servos. Someone was traveling past me in an AC of some sort. I sat there for a minute considering my options, I could try and get their attention and risk getting shot, or I could just remain in the cockpit. As I rethought, the choices, it seemed there wasn't really a choice at all. My coms were dead, so I just decided to go old fashioned, in morse code. Dots and slashes out in a pattern indicating somewhat of an SOS. Then I waited a few minutes, obviously the AC that was outside my cockpit was scanning all frequenceis If they hadn't they wouldn't have been walking towards me.

I held my breath as I heard the AC outside go into standby mode, and stop moving. Then the hiss of depressurization alerted me that the other cockpit was open, whomever was in that AC was coming to get me. I took a breath and sat in the cockpit waiting for the other pilot to open the door and get me out. But for some reason it wasn't opening up. I waited... and waited, and waited. Ten minutes later I got impatient. So, I opened the hatch that served as the entrance to Mjolnir, and I was, to be honest, surprised on what I found. There was a NEXT, a glimmering, awesome and frankly intimedating NEXT, pointing a huge assault rifle at my whole body.

Needless to say, I gulped, and put my hands up, I wasn't stupid, plus, I was pretty much powerless. As I stood there faced with that kind of situation only one thing ran through my head, I didn't get to kill the damn white bastard. I closed my eyes waiting for the end to come. But nothing happened, until the AC deactivated and the arm holding me at (huge) gun point, grew limp. The core hatch popped open and out came a pilot. At first, the figure was wearing a reflective visor helmet, I couldn't see anything, but a few seconds later the helmet came off, and I was stunned. The pilot was a woman, but not just any woman, she was beautiful. Flowing white hair, that went shoulder length, dark grey eyes, and lips glossed with pink. She looked like the definition of a prom queen, only in pilot slacks and piloting a three hundred thousand ton death machine. Needless to say I was blown away.

While my stupid self was gawking like a little kid, she drew nearer, inspecting the damages that had obviously occured on my AC. Then smirked and said, "what happened? Bite off more then you can chew?" I snapped back to focus and closed my mouth quickly, "I made a stupid choice and got into a fight with someone strong.. obviously too strong for me." The woman smirked and held out her hand, "I'm Gina, Gina Daniels." I held out my hand, "Logan Schwimmer." Her eyebrows raised a bit, but said nothing. "Well Logan, it looks like your pretty much unoperational here. How bout I give you a ride back to base?"

I nodded and stepped on the flap of the door that led to her cockpit. After getting settled in the back behind her seat I asked, "so what are you? ORCA? League?" She smiled and looked back at me, "neither, mercenary group." My intrest perked, "which one?" I asked. "A group called Ragnarok, ever hear of them?" My heart skipped a beat, Ragnarok, while off the League's and ORCA's radar, was one of the deadliest group on Earth. They had successfully destroyed huge installations of both ORCA's and the Leagues. But both times blamed it on other groups. It was a covert organization with some pretty big guns.

"My turn," she said, what's a seventeen year old doing piloting a NEXT on Earth?" I sighed, my father served on _Mother Will_ I was just there to tag along. She looked back at me, "what was your father's name?" I gave her a confused look, "Norman Schwimmer." Gina laughed, "your father is a good man." I almost laughed at the irony. "You mean was." The NEXT stopped dead. "What do you mean was?" she asked now looking concerned. "My father was killed maybe 18 hours ago.'' She put a hand over her mouth, "by what?" I shurgged, "some sort of NEXT, all I know is that it was white and had these attachments, like wings almost." She pulled an image up on the HUD and all of a sudden my anger bubbled. "This white NEXT?" I nodded angerily. "That's the bastard that killed my dad and shot me down."

Gina laughed, "you went after White Glint? You've got guts kid, you know who pilots that NEXT these days?" I shook my head. "Anatolia's Mercenary, the Last Raven, the guy's a legend. But I wonder why he kept you alive, that's not like him." It was my turn to laugh," you sound like you know him." She stopped laughing and gave me a somber look, "once upon a time, I did."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: To those who have been reading and thsoe reviwing, and putting me on the favorites list I thank you so much. Theres nothing more satisfying then seeing someone is actually reading.

I could only gape at her, I just went head to head with the Last Raven, and survived. It seemed like I had lucked out. I looked to her, "so what do I do now?" She chuckled, "well you certainly can't sit out here with no food and water. How about you come with me." I gave her an incredulous look, "join Ragnarok?" She put her hands up in defense, "I'm not saying that, at HQ we have a reugee base for those stranded." I gave her a glare and pointed to the nowhere in general. "No, no no, I'm not just sitting on the sidelines, White Glint killed my father, he has to die." This girl gave me a smile and then nodded, "I'll talk to my supiriors and see what I can do." I nodded then put my hand out for her to help me get out of the ruined core.

"I never got your name," I said with the most nonchalant tone I could muster. "It's Lydia," she said smiling, "Lydia Gregovich." I shook her hand. But by the way she reacted it was like I ahd kissed her, she blushed a beet red. "Are you ok?" I asked sounding more curious then concerned. She nodded but I was still unconvinced. Then I saw it, a deep tan scar that ran from the base of her skull to her spine. She was a PLUS. Humans that had been experimented on to be faster and more deadly in and out of an NEXT. "How old are you?" I asked, reexammining her 25- ish looking body. She smiled and then got in the pilot's seat waiting for me to get in, "16," she said with the straightest face ever.

I gave her a doubtful look and she began to explain why. "Genetically modified, my side effect was unnatural aging. But that seems to have stopped, for now." I nodded and then got in crouching in the back behind the pilots seat. "How long till we reach HQ?" She looked like she was thinking and then said, "about three hours." I nodded and then sat myself down in the cramped space. This was going to be a long ride.

About three hours later we arrived, and to my amazement, the "HQ" was an Arms Fort. Granted a stationary one, but an Arms Fort nontheless. As if seeing my confusion, Lydia began to explain as we made out approach. "When our leader started Ragnarok, he knew the one place the corporations wouldn't come looking was na abandoned Arms Fort. So we built everything in it and around it. To the naked eye it looks like a bunch of refugees finding shelter, but it's way more then that.

As we made out decsent I could see what she meant, if I was a corporate scout I wouldn't think about it for two seconds, then I could see the 'more' part she was talking about. The hatch on top of the massive Tank like arms fort opened and the NEXT dropped in resting neatly within the hangar. She popped the hatch and went first then instructed me to follow. The base itself was actually pretty well kept. Spacious, and even furnished, nothing like _Mother Will_. As we strode down the hallways people were staring, and it was.. pretty nerve wracking. Anyone of these trained mercenaries could've killed me in a heartbeat. But here I am strolling past them like it was commonplace.

As we strode down the hallway we came to a room with a big door. The big door opened automatically and in we strode to the most amazing looking command room ever. It was a big metal desk with a holo computer on it and the man sitting behind it was well lets just say, intimidating doesn't cut it.

He wasn't big and burly, he wasn't rough looking, in fact he seemed pretty normal, except his eyes. They had this keen gaze that peirced through you, his eyes read of experience, and and ovewhelming sense of knowledge. He glanced over me, and his expression changed into a smirk, " ahhh Lydia, bring another hopeful? I do hope this one doesn't die." I looked to her, "how many die?"

She shrugged, ehh ten percent in their first month. I merely nodded taking it in. The man behind the desk waved me closer. "What makes you think you have what it takes to make the cut here?" Lydia spoke up, "he went up against Whit Glint." The man smiled, "and lived? That's an accomplishment. Lydia get him a room and some new clothes we have a lot to do.

I sighed, there was no turning back now I was commited. I just hoped I wasnt going to die.


End file.
